Sen. Toni Atkins and Assemblyman Todd Gloria announced support Friday for a new bill that would protect California’s environment and workplace standards from changes sought by the Trump administration.
Senate Bill 1, authored by Atkins and two state Senate colleagues, requires that any federal environmental or worker-safety standard in place before Jan. 22, 2017, remain in effect under California law — even if the federal government rolls it back.
“Californians — across party lines and in every corner of our state — share a deep commitment to ensuring clean air and clean water, and we have fought too hard and too long for safe working conditions to let this or any other administration undermine that progress,” Atkins said. “SB 1 is California’s insurance policy against the exploitation of our natural resources and our people.”
At a press conference on Harbor Island, the two lawmakers drew attention to more than 34 clean air, clean water and endangered species standards have been weakened or eliminated at the federal level.
“Despite the Trump administration’s desire to roll back key protections for our environment and workers, California will not roll with them,” Gloria said. “SB 1 is an essential piece of legislation that will ensure our environment and natural resources are preserved and our workers and consumers are protected, even if the federal government recklessly chooses to repeal these standards.”
The bill cleared its first hurdle on Wednesday, passing the Senate Environmental Quality Committee. It must be considered by two other Senate committees before heading to the Senate floor and then the Assembly.
